Aquarium Catfish

Are their certain traits that aquarium catfish must have in order to be satisfied and happy in their environment? Catfish can be very territorial, a factor that should be topmost in your mind when preparing to stock your aquarium.

Aquariums are great entertainment. And catfish are one of the most common fish in the world, certainly in North America. It is not unusual that one would want to stock their aquarium with catfish.

Some people can sit by an aquarium and observe the fish in them for hours. The different kinds of fish in the aquarium are usually colored and compatible with each other. Many species of fish can live with each other in a single aquarium. There are some fish though, such as catfish, that have a low tolerance for other fish, even of their own species.

If you really want catfish in your aquarium, you have to strongly resist the natural urge to stock your aquarium with a huge variety of species and instead concentrate on finding compatible species.

A good aquarium catfish species is the Otocinclus also known as Dwarf Suckers. The Otocinclus will not grow too large rarely exceeding 2 inches with the male typically being the smaller of the two sexes. They love to eat algae and will help to keep your aquarium clean. Unlike many other catfish species, they have an easy going temperament, love company and love to swim in schools. So putting them into groups of at least five should make them all very happy.

When stocking your aquarium, a good rule of thumb with the Otocinclus is to allocate at least one gallon of water for each catfish. They have a lifespan of three to five years so will provide you with years of enjoyment.

If you decide that you want other species in addition to catfish in your aquarium, many people recommend species such as blue tetra or pink tetra which seem to get along. However, the best way of determining compatibility is to contact the seller from whom you purchased your aquarium catfish and ask them for advice. They should have intimate knowledge of catfish behaviors and quirks from their years of experience with them.

You have to take a number of things into account when setting up the freshwater aquarium for your catfish. It will need a filter to keep the water clean and suitable for the cat fish to live in.  You will also need an air pump to aerate the water in the freshwater aquarium. The air pump provides oxygen in the water to enable the fish to live. Or, an alternative to an air pump is to put live plants in the aquarium.

Gravel is also needed for aesthetics and you'll find many different colors and sizes to choose from. Make sure to clean the gravel or pebbles well before putting them in the freshwater aquarium since they might contain chemicals or dust that can interfere with your fish's health.

And finally, it's best to observe the catfish in your aquarium for some time before adding other kinds of fish.

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